Imperial Chinese AC-1914

[Eugenius]

Basically I want something coal-fired that can mount 8 of the new 9.45" guns being developed in an HMS Invincible-style layout, with comparable speed to armored cruisers afloat.

What do you guys think of this?

A, Chinese Armored Cruiser laid down 1913 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   11,489 t light; 12,212 t standard; 13,111 t normal; 13,829 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   541.34 ft / 541.34 ft x 78.74 ft x 20.51 ft (normal load)
   165.00 m / 165.00 m x 24.00 m  x 6.25 m

Armament:
      4 - 9.45" / 240 mm guns (2x2 guns), 496.04lbs / 225.00kg shells, 1913 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      4 - 9.45" / 240 mm guns (2x2 guns), 496.04lbs / 225.00kg shells, 1913 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on side, all amidships
      8 - 5.12" / 130 mm guns in single mounts, 70.55lbs / 32.00kg shells, 1913 Model
     Quick firing guns in casemate mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      8 - 5.12" / 130 mm guns in single mounts, 70.55lbs / 32.00kg shells, 1913 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 5,097 lbs / 2,312 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150
   4 - 20.0" / 508 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   5.91" / 150 mm   377.30 ft / 115.00 m   8.20 ft / 2.50 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
   Upper:   2.95" / 75 mm   377.30 ft / 115.00 m   8.20 ft / 2.50 m
     Main Belt covers 107 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   7.87" / 200 mm   3.94" / 100 mm      7.87" / 200 mm
   2nd:   7.87" / 200 mm   3.94" / 100 mm      7.87" / 200 mm
   3rd:   1.97" / 50 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 0.98" / 25 mm, Conning tower: 7.87" / 200 mm

Machinery:
   Coal and oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 48,075 shp / 35,864 Kw = 26.00 kts
   Range 6,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,618 tons (90% coal)

Complement:
   612 - 796

Cost:
   £1.312 million / $5.246 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 556 tons, 4.2 %
   Armour: 2,714 tons, 20.7 %
      - Belts: 1,166 tons, 8.9 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 924 tons, 7.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 529 tons, 4.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 94 tons, 0.7 %
   Machinery: 2,380 tons, 18.2 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 5,564 tons, 42.4 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,621 tons, 12.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 275 tons, 2.1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     16,109 lbs / 7,307 Kg = 38.2 x 9.4 " / 240 mm shells or 2.0 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.26
   Metacentric height 5.3 ft / 1.6 m
   Roll period: 14.4 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 56 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.40
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.12

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.525
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.88 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 23.27 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      20.51 ft / 6.25 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   20.51 ft / 6.25 m
      - Mid (50 %):      20.51 ft / 6.25 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   12.30 ft / 3.75 m
      - Stern:      12.30 ft / 3.75 m
      - Average freeboard:   17.84 ft / 5.44 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 98.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 165.5 %
   Waterplane Area: 29,061 Square feet or 2,700 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 107 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 139 lbs/sq ft or 679 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.96
      - Longitudinal: 1.51
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

[Korpen]

I think that 24cm guns are a bit obsolete, as larger guns offer so much more flexibility.
That said I do not think the ship is a bad one, but:
There would be VERY problematic to fit the secondary batter in such a way that they do not interfere with the main battery. The problem with wing turrets is that they require very large amounts of deckspace for firing arcs and blast zones.

[Eugenius]

This is a quick, rough sketch of how the ship would appear.  Note that the starboard turret amidships is the one placed forward, and that on the starboard side the casemates that are in the fore superstructure would be located in the "empty" part of the aft superstructure.

[Eugenius]

And the actual sketch...

[The Rock Doctor]

The Imperial Chinese have only a limited coast at this point - what's the mission for a ship of this type?

[Korpen]

While I have no idea of the borders in china, I think I second Rocks comment, what will it be used for?

After looking at her a bit more I think her main belt is far to narrow, just 2,5m is not enough for decent protection. But my main advice would be to enlarge her and give her larger guns if possible. 25kts, 8x28cm guns and 22cm armour is possible at just 13 300ton, less then 2000 ton more for a much more capable vessel.

When making a sketch, make a top one as well, as that show of the layout of the main battery much better. But any drawing is a good thing, so do not feel I am discouraging you to make them! :)

[Guinness]

Am I the only one that can't see an illustration here?

[The Rock Doctor]

Apparently you are.  I can see it in the post dated at 8:02.

[Guinness]

That's really weird. Tried it in three different browsers on 2 different operating systems, can't see it. Don't even see a link for it if I hit the quote button on that post.

[Korpen]

That's really weird. Tried it in three different browsers on 2 different operating systems, can't see it. Don't even see a link for it if I hit the quote button on that post.

It is an uploaded image, so there is no external link to it.

[Borys]

 I see the sketch in reply no.3.

The ship is fine with me.

Mission - blockade the South, prevent blokade BY the South.
Borys

[Guinness]

I see the sketch in reply no.3.

The ship is fine with me.

Very odd. I registered a test account, which sees attached images fine, but my account does not. I don't see a setting anywhere that seems to control that.

[P3D]

Use imageshack , tinypic to host images instead of uploading them to the forum.